2016 Auburn Baseball Preview

Rotation

The Tigers return one of the best starting pitchers in the conference in Cole Lipscomb. The junior finished last season with a record of 8-2 and an ERA of 2.53 in 16 appearances (12 starts). He also struck out 91 batters over 92.2 innings. He will most likely be Auburn’s Friday night starter this year.

Keegan Thompson would have most likely been Auburn’s number two guy this year after starting 11 games a year ago and finishing with a 7-3 record and 3.10 ERA, but he’s going to miss all of the 2016 season after arm surgery. The junior will receive a redshirt and will be eligible to pitch for the Tigers again in 2017 – unless of course he’s drafted this summer.

With Keegan out and the loss of Rocky McCord due to graduation, that means the Tigers are looking for two rotation spots to fill this year.

One of them will likely be taken by Dalton Rentz. The senior started nine games a year ago and pitched 62.1 innings. He finished with an ERA of 2.60 and struck out 52 batters.

No one else on the team who will be back and healthy this year started a game in 2015, so the third starter will probably be a rotation spot throughout the year unless a newcomer steps right in and takes over.

Justin Camp was the team’s best relief pitcher a year ago appearing in 28 games, pitching 46.1 innings, striking out 48 batters, collecting 8 saves and finishing with a team-best ERA of 2.33. He’ll be a senior this year and has started eight games during his time at Auburn, but most likely Thompson keeps him as the team’s closer.

Projected Rotation: 

SP1 – Cole Lipscomb

SP2 – Dalton Rentz

SP3 – Ben Braymer